Connecting element for connecting two ends of a conveyor belt

ABSTRACT

A connector arrangement for mounting on belt ends to form an endless belt. The belt has tension elements in the form of wires or cables therein. The connector arrangement has bendable legs to receive the belt ends with spikes thereon adapted to be driven into, or through, the respective belt end.

1 July 31, 1973 United States Patent 1 91 Lachmann FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS BB 11. 33 ll 44 22 24 31 B 74/231 J ux 74 231 J mwin n nenmmwmww CKHGBTSL 88678126 11 223526 99999998 HHHHHHHH 5 6867 0504226762525636 9 9 ,9 975326 6 56052625 1 1 4 9 11.1.1 21

B 8 F 00 m m F m H o m m N a e E L G M0 r. a E T my m LW m m GGB mm m NNHG r. I]. P am EEEw m NNV m n NNN 6 .W 000 v CCC I A 4 N H U W. U

Fordertechnik mbll, Sulzbach/Saar, Germany 124,508 4/1919 GreatBritain.......................... 24/38 [22] Filed: Aug. 2, 1971 PrimaryExaminerDonald A. Griffin AttorneyWalter Becker [21] Appl. No.: 168,281

[57] ABSTRACT A connector arrangement for mounting on belt ends to forman endless belt. The belt has tension elements in the form of wires orcables therein. The connector ar- 24/38, 74/23] J Int. Fl6g 3/00 [58]Field of Search........................... 74/231 J, 237;

rangement has bendable legs to receive the belt ends 24/33 A, 38, 31B,31 C, 31 W with spikes thereon adapted to be driven into, or [56]References Cited through, the respective belt end.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures 271,010 1/1883Wilkins 24/31 B 983,712 2/1911 24/31 B CONNECTING ELEMENT FOR CONNECTINGTWO ENDS OF A CONVEYOR BELT The present invention relates to aconnecting element for connecting two ends ofa conveyor belt of rubberor of another material with wires or cables extending in thelongitudinal direction of the belt and forming a pull-resistant insertmeans, and more specifically, concerns a connecting element for belts ofthe above mentioned type which will not permit the employment of insertmeans for hook connectors in the connecting zone.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a connecting elementof the above mentioned general type which will make it possible toincrease the life thereof and the life of the belt connection.

It is another object of this invention to provide a belt connectionwhich will permit the driving of clamps with spikes into the belt endsto be interconnected.

This object and other objects and advantages of the invention willappear more clearly from the following specification, in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a top of a conveyor beltconnection according to the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a section taken along the line IIIl of FIG. I, but ona scale larger than that of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 represents a section similar to that of FIG. 2 through a modifiedconveyor belt connection according to the invention.

FIG. 4 shows the left-hand conveyor belt end of FIG. 3 with thepertaining clamp during assembly.

FIG. 5 illustrates the right-hand conveyor belt end of a modifiedconveyor belt connection.

FIG. 6 illustrates the left-hand conveyor belt of still another conveyorbelt connection.

FIG. 7 shows the right-hand conveyor belt end of still another conveyorbelt connection.

FIG. 8 is a top view of another modified conveyor belt connection.

FIG. 9 represents a section taken along the line IX-IX of FIG. 8, but ona larger scale than that of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a top view of still another conveyor belt connection of theinvention.

FIG. 11 represents a section taken along the line XIXI of FIG. 10.

The connecting element according to the present invention for connectingtwo ends of a conveyor belt of rubber or similar material withlongitudinally extending wires or cables form a pull-resistant insert,which connecting element in the connecting zone, is free from insertspermitting the employment of hook connectors for carrying out a methodaccording to which spike equipped clamps are inserted into the belt endsis characterized primarily in that the said clamps are entirely orpartially bendable. In view of this bendability of the clamps it will beassured that the alternating bending rated clamps which areinterconnected by a coupling. Expediently, the coupling is at leastpartially flexible. In view of the bendability of the coupling, the wearat the contact areas between the individual parts of the coupling andthe connecting element will be considerably reduced. The bendability orflexibility can be obtained in a most simple manner by making the clampsand/or the coupling means in the form of a plurality of layers at leastone of which is bendable. The bendable layers may consist, for instance,of spring steel sheets.

According to a further development of the invention, the bendable layershave different length so that any desired stepping of the supportingforce of the connecting elements upon the conveyor belt can be realized.

A further feature of the invention consists in that those ends of thelayers which face the conveyor belt and which form the clamps are bentin the direction toward the central plane of the conveyor belt. Thisfeature is advantageous particularly when the stresses acting upon theconveyor belt and exerting grinding or scratching stresses areparticularly high.

According to a further development of the invention, with a conveyorbelt produced with the connecting elements of the invention, theconnecting elements are by at least an endless cable or the likeinterconnected, which cable or the like is clamped in between thecoupling and the upper and lower clamp section and passed through theconveyor belt ends so that with the impact stresses to which anindividual connecting element is subjected, the adjacent connectingelements will take over a portion of said stresses. The cablefurthermore brings about that the connecting elements on the belt edgescannot be torn off when the conveyor belt laterally hits an abutment ora handicap. In addition thereto, the cable brings about a pull stresswhich extends at an angle of to the pull stress of the connectingelements so that the joint will be considerably improved.

Referring more specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2, the conveyor beltconnection illustrated therein comprises the belt ends 31 and 32 whichare interconnected by brackets 33. The brackets or clamps 33 consist ofsteel sheet metal 34 and comprise pins (not illustrated) which arehammered into the conveyor belt ends 31 and 32.

With the embodiment of FIG. 3, the conveyor belt ends 31 and 32 haveseparate clamps which respectively are formed of two layers 35 and 36;37 and 38, said layers 36, 38 consisting of spring steel sheet metal.The layers 35 of the conveyor belt end 31 and the layers 37 of theconveyor belt end 3 2 are interconnected by bolts 39 and a coupling 40.The coupling 40 is composed of six layers of spring steel sheet metal.

From FIG. 4 there will be seen how the layers 35 and 36 are placedagainst the conveyor belt end 31 in order to be pressed in the directionof the arrows 41. Layers 36 adapt themselves to the shape of theconveyor belt end 31. I i

Conveyor belt end 32' is, in conformity with FIG. 5, provided with aclamp each of which is formed of two layers 42, 43 and 44. The layers 43and 44 consist of spring steel sheet metal.

With the embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 7, the brackets or clamps eachcomprise two layers 45, 46, 47 and 48 (FIG. 6), or of two layers each,namely, 49, 50, 51 and 52 (FIG. 7). i

The layers forming the clamps may have different lengths (FIGS. 2 to 7).The ends of the layers may, in

conformity with the shape of the conveyor belt ends be bent upwardly(FIGS. 2 to 5) and may extend straight over the entire length (FIG. 6)or may be bent in the direction toward the central plane of the conveyorbelt (FIG. 7

The belt connection illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 comprises conveyor beltends 61 and 62 into which have been hammered the clamps 63, 64, whichare provided with non-illustrated pins. Between the clamps 63 and 64there is provided a coupling 65 which by means of bolts 66 interconnectsthe clamps 63 and 64. Each clamp 63 and 64 is interconnected by means ofbolts 66. Each bolt 66 is passed through a bushing 67 having a mandrel68 of elastic material. Between the conveyor belt ends 61 and 62 on onehand and the coupling 65 on the other hand, there is provided or passedthrough an endless cable 69 which is clamped between the sections of theclamps 63 and 64.

The conveyor belt connection according to FIGS. and 11 comprisesconveyor belt ends 71 and 72, the thickness of which, at the outer endsis reduced to approximately the diameter of cable 73 serving aspullresistant insert. Inasmuch as the cables 73 in FIG. 10 are notvisible, they have their central axes 73a indicated in the drawings bydot-dash lines. Clamps consisting of two parts 74 and 75 have beenhammered into the conveyor belt ends 71 and 72. The clamp portions 74have spikes 76, the length of which corresponds approximately to thethickness of the conveyor belt within the region of the connecting areaor joint. In order to permit the spikes 76 to penetrate the clampportions 75, the latter are at the respective areas provided with bores77. The spikes 76 are so arranged that they penetrate approximatelythrough the central axes 70a of the cables 73.

The clamp portions 75 have spikes 78, the length of which isconsiderably greater than the thickness of the conveyor belt so that theends 79 of the spikes 78 have to be bent over whereby the clamp portions74 and 75 are firmly anchored with each other and with the conveyor beltends 71 and 72.

The connection of the conveyor belt ends 71 and 72 is established by acoupling 80 formed by a multi-layer fabric 81 and two plates 82. Theplates 82 are made of the same material as the conveyor belt. With theembodiment according to FIG. 11, the fabric 81 has four layers. The twoinner layers of the fabric are cut out to such an extent that theportion of the conveyor belt ends 71 and 72, the thickness of which isreduced to approximately the diameter of the cables 73, will fit itselfprecisely into the coupling 80.

The coupling 80 is, by rivets 83, connected to the clamp portions 74 and75 while the rivets 83 are passed through bushings 84 inserted into thecoupling 80.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by nomeans, limited to the particular showing in the drawings, but alsocomprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a connecting element for interconnecting the opposed ends of abelt of flexible material housing longitudinally extending tensioninserts, such as exclusively steel cables, thereon: a clamp memberhaving legs at one end adapted to receive a belt end therebetween, andspike means on at least one of said legs adapted to be hammered intosaid belt near the end, said clamp being formed of bendable material, atleast some of said spike means extending into central axes of saidcables and at least some of said spike means being located between saidcables.

2. A connecting element according to claim 1 which includes a pair ofthe said clamp members separately connected to belt ends, a bendablecoupling joining said clamp members at the ends thereof opposite theends connected to said belt ends, and at least one endless cableextending therethrough and clamped in between said clamp members.

3. A connecting element according to claim 1 in which at least some ofsaid spike means extend completely through said belt.

4. In a connecting element for interconnecting the opposed ends of abelt of flexible material housing longitudinally extending tensioninserts, such as wires or cables, thereon: a clamp member having legs atone end adapted to receive a belt end therebetween, spike means on atleast one of said legs adapted to be hammered into said belt near theend, said clamp being formed of bendable material, there being a pair ofthe said clamp members and a coupling joining said clamp members at theends thereof opposite the ends connected to said belt ends, and anendless cable extending through said legs and interposed between thesaid belt ends and said coupling.

5. A connecting element according to claim 4 in which said clamp memberhas legs at both ends each adapted to receive a respective belt end andeach having spikes adapted to be driven into the respective belt end.

6. A connecting element according to claim 4 in which said coupling isbendable.

7. A connecting element according to claim 4 in which at least saidcoupling comprises superimposed layers of sheet metal. I I

8. A connecting element according to claim 7 in which said layers ofsheet metal are of different lengths.

9. A connecting element according to claim 8 in which at least a pair ofsaid layers form said legs and at the ends are bent away from the planeof the belt connected thereto.

10. A connecting element according to claim 4 in which said coupling isin the form of a plurality of layers of fabric.

11. A connecting element according to claim 10 in which said coupling isabout as strong as the belt on which said clamp members are mounted.

12. A connecting element according to claim 10 in which the couplingincludes layers on the exposed faces of substantially the same materialas that of the belt on which said clamp members are mounted.

13. A connecting element according to claim 10 in which said coupling atthe ends is reduced in thickness, and said belt ends in the regionengaged by said clamp members also being reduced in thickness wherebysaid belt presents substantially uniform thickness throughout the lengththereof.

14. A connecting element according to claim 13 in which outer layers ofsaid coupling extend over opposite faces of each belt end and areadhesively connected thereto.

15. A connecting element according to claim 4 in which at least some ofsaid spike means extend into the belt at least to the central axes ofsaid tension inserts.

t t i i i

1. In a connecting element for interconnecting the opposed ends of abelt of flexible material housing longitudinally extending tensioninserts, such as exclusively steel cables, thereon: a clamp memberhaving legs at one end adapted to receive a belt end therebetween, andspike means on at least one of said legs adapted to be hammered intosaid belt near the end, said clamp being formed of bendable material, atleast some of said spike means extending into central axes of saidcables and at least some of said spike means being located between saidcables.
 2. A connecting element according to claim 1 which includes apair of the said clamp members separately connected to belt ends, abendable coupling joining said clamp members at the ends thereofopposite the ends connected to said belt ends, and at least one endlesscable extending therethrough and clamped in between said clamp members.3. A connecting element according to claim 1 in which at least some ofsaid spike means extend completely through said belt.
 4. In a connectingelement for interconnecting the opposed ends of a belt of flexiblematerial housing longitudinally extending tension inseRts, such as wiresor cables, thereon: a clamp member having legs at one end adapted toreceive a belt end therebetween, spike means on at least one of saidlegs adapted to be hammered into said belt near the end, said clampbeing formed of bendable material, there being a pair of the said clampmembers and a coupling joining said clamp members at the ends thereofopposite the ends connected to said belt ends, and an endless cableextending through said legs and interposed between the said belt endsand said coupling.
 5. A connecting element according to claim 4 in whichsaid clamp member has legs at both ends each adapted to receive arespective belt end and each having spikes adapted to be driven into therespective belt end.
 6. A connecting element according to claim 4 inwhich said coupling is bendable.
 7. A connecting element according toclaim 4 in which at least said coupling comprises superimposed layers ofsheet metal.
 8. A connecting element according to claim 7 in which saidlayers of sheet metal are of different lengths.
 9. A connecting elementaccording to claim 8 in which at least a pair of said layers form saidlegs and at the ends are bent away from the plane of the belt connectedthereto.
 10. A connecting element according to claim 4 in which saidcoupling is in the form of a plurality of layers of fabric.
 11. Aconnecting element according to claim 10 in which said coupling is aboutas strong as the belt on which said clamp members are mounted.
 12. Aconnecting element according to claim 10 in which the coupling includeslayers on the exposed faces of substantially the same material as thatof the belt on which said clamp members are mounted.
 13. A connectingelement according to claim 10 in which said coupling at the ends isreduced in thickness, and said belt ends in the region engaged by saidclamp members also being reduced in thickness whereby said belt presentssubstantially uniform thickness throughout the length thereof.
 14. Aconnecting element according to claim 13 in which outer layers of saidcoupling extend over opposite faces of each belt end and are adhesivelyconnected thereto.
 15. A connecting element according to claim 4 inwhich at least some of said spike means extend into the belt at least tothe central axes of said tension inserts.